Description
A comforting Simple Ground Beef Shells Skillet that combines tender pasta, juicy beef, and vibrant greens, ready in just 30 minutes.
Ingredients
Scale
- 8 ounces pasta shells
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 medium onion
- 2 cups fresh baby spinach
- 14.5 ounces diced tomatoes
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 cup beef broth
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
- to taste salt & pepper
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 3/4 cup reserved pasta water
Instructions
- Boil the pasta shells in salted water until al dente, reserving ¾ cup of the cooking water before draining and tossing the shells with olive oil.
- In a large skillet over medium-high heat, warm a tablespoon of olive oil and sauté the diced onion until translucent, about 1-2 minutes.
- Add the ground beef, stirring and breaking it up until browned, about 7-9 minutes. Drain any excessive oil.
- Stir in the spinach, diced tomatoes, beef broth, tomato paste, minced garlic, and Italian seasoning. Cook until the spinach wilts, about 2-3 minutes.
- Lower the heat and add the reserved pasta water, heavy cream, and Parmesan cheese, stirring until the cheese melts and the sauce thickens.
- Gently fold in the cooked pasta shells, ensuring each shell is coated in the sauce. Garnish with extra cheese or herbs before serving.
Notes
- Feel free to substitute with any medium-sized pasta.
- Swap in ground turkey or chicken for a lighter alternative.
- Use extra virgin olive oil for a robust taste.
- Shallots can be used for a gentler flavor profile.
- Kale or arugula are great substitutes for spinach.
- Canned tomatoes are convenient and flavorful.
- Fresh tomatoes can work in a pinch for tomato paste.
- Chicken broth is a fine substitute for beef broth.
- Fresh oregano can work well instead of Italian seasoning.
- Garlic powder is a stand-in for fresh garlic.
- Adjust crushed red pepper flakes to your taste.
- Mozzarella or cheddar can be used instead of Parmesan cheese.
- Coconut milk serves as a nice dairy-free alternative for heavy cream.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Skillet
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 550
- Sugar: 4 g
- Sodium: 850 mg
- Fat: 28 g
- Saturated Fat: 12 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10 g
- Trans Fat: 1 g
- Carbohydrates: 45 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 28 g
- Cholesterol: 90 mg